NDSU Student Stars in Sundance Film

While many students choose to top their summers off with one final camping trip with family or a stop with friends at the beach for some last minute rays, James Cavo, a freshman majoring in musical theatre, ended his with a script in hand for a role in a film that would someday make it into the Sundance Film Festival.

It all began in August 2011 when Cavo was approached by a friend with a script and an idea for the movie “Brother.”

In a span of only eight months, the film was captured and taken off the production floor. After taking a chance and sending the film into the Sundance Film Festival, an annual American film festival centered in Utah, the group was notified within just a few short weeks that their film was selected.

“We were all ecstatic,” Cavo said.

“Brother” is a suspense thriller based off of true events, closely following an imaginary world run by the government’s Big Brother program. The story takes place in a small town in the United States, much like one that you would find here in North Dakota.

Cavo’s character, Brain Moelbricht, faces the tragedy of an “accidental” death of his wife. This causes Brain to develop a case of depression. After checking the oil in his car and finding a hidden camera under the car’s hood, Brain discovers that there are actually hidden recording devices placed all around the small town. In a surprising turn of events, people of the town then begin to disappear.

Cavo is nothing new to the acting scene.

“I’ve been performing ever since I could walk and talk,” Cavo said.

His first gig was in a production of Cinderella, playing the beloved character of Prince Charming. After knowing Cavo for a few months now while sharing the same arts and humanities community in Thompson Hall, I can honestly say that he would be the perfect fit for that enchanting role. With his charm, wit and intelligence, who wouldn’t want to cast him?
With dreams of someday becoming a performer on Broadway, Cavo has a large collection of productions under his belt. Throughout the span of his high school career, Cavo performed in 13 productions and was honored with numerous acting awards on the regional and state levels of North Dakota.

Not only was he involved in acting, but he was also a tough speech competitor, winning five regional titles, two state titles and qualifying three years in a row for the National Forensics League.

Cavo has taken his unmatchable acting abilities with him here to NDSU, landing the lead role for the campus production of “Anonymous.”

This performance has earned him a nomination for an Irene Ryan Award, which Cavo will forever cherish.

“The NDSU theatre department is full of talented performers whom I am very excited to work alongside in the coming years,” he said. “Working on the production was an amazing experience that I will never forget.”

James will unfortunately not be making the trip to Utah for the Sundance Film Festival, which will take place in January, but he is honored that the film was accepted.

“Who would have ever thought that a bunch of kids from a small town in North Dakota would have a movie in the Sundance?” Cavo said. “It’s some pretty crazy stuff.”